English

The Prime Minister's Office supports the Prime Minister in administrating the division of responsibilities between other ministries and coordinates government policies. It organizes committees appointed by the Prime Minister to work on selected issues and enforces and monitors the implementation of government decisions.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture is responsible for matters concerning education at all levels, research and science, sports and youth activities. The Ministry is responsible for cultural affairs, such as the arts and cultural heritage, the Icelandic language, the mass media, and sports and youth affairs.

The Ministry for the Environment and Natural Resources formulates and enforces the Icelandic government policy for environmental affairs. The ministry supervises the affairs pertaining to nature in Iceland, conservation and outdoor recreation, the protection of animals, wild-life management, pollution prevention, hygiene, planning and building matters, fire prevention, weather forecasting and avalanche-protection, surveying and cartography, forestry and soil conservation, environmental monitoring and surveillance.

Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs oversees State finances and is also responsible for government properties, taxation, customs and other revenues of the state, public purchases and matters pertaining to the Nordic Investment Bank.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is responsible for foreign policy and security affairs, foreign trade, EU-relations and development aid. Toghether with the ministry, a network of Embassies and honoarary consulates around the world is responsible for implementing the overall foreign policy.

The Ministry of Industries and Innovation covers all sectors of ordinary business and economic activity. It opened on 1 September 2012 following the amalgamation of the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture, the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism and part of the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
With the establishment of the new ministry, state supervision and involvement in industry and innovation are brought together and coordinated in one place, the aim being to pave the way for a vigorous and forward-looking economy.

The Ministry of the Interior role is to uphold law and order and ensure that civil rights are respected. The Ministry is responsible for the judiciary system, prisons service, police authorities, migration and asylum, surveillance of the territorial waters and the fishing grounds.
The Ministry is also responsible for transport issues, such as road construction, surface transportation and vehicle monitoring, aviation and airports, navigation and legal registration of seamen and their occupational rights, safety in transportation and accident investigation. It is also responsible for telecommunication, postal affairs and muncipal issues.

The Ministry of Welfare is responsible for social welfare, family affairs, social services of the municipalities, refugees and immigrants, gender equality, employment and affairs of the disabled. It is also responsible for administration and policy of health and health
insurance issues. This includes public health, patient rights, operation
of hospitals, health centers and other health services providers,
pharmaceutical affairs and health insurances.